Pusher-type conveyor



May 18, 1965 B. T. AYDELOTT PUSHER-TYPE CONVEYOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 1'7, 1962 Boyd T. Aydelott BY Semmes & 8831117285 AT TOR/V5 YS y 1965 B. T. AYDELOTT 3,184,041

PUSHER-TYPE CONVEYOR Filed Dec. 17, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Boyd T. Aydelott Semmes & Semmes A TTORNEYS May 18, 1965 B. T. AYDELOTT PUSHER-TYPE CONVEYOR Filed Dec. 17, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Boyd Aydelott Semmes & {9817217185 United States Patent M Filed Dec. 17, 1962, Ser. No. 245,178 3 'Claims. (ill. 198-168) The present invention relates to a heavy semifluid conveyor, and more especially to a conveyor for elevating fiuid concrete mix in building construction. The conveyor is one which may be attached directly to a concrete hauling truck.

An object of this invention is to provide a positive displacement, semifiuid conveyor which is both relatively light and inexpensive and which requires little maintenance and is easily maintained.

Another object is to provide a conveyor which will continuously elevate concrete.

Another object of this invention is to provide a concrete mix conveyor that may transfer concrete at any angle from slightly below the vertical to below the horizontal.

A further object of this invention is to provide a truck mounted conveyor that may continuously elevate concrete more than one building story.

In the drawings:

PEG. 1 is an overall external view of the conveyor mounted on the rear of a concrete hauling vehicle;

FIG. 2 is an exploded sectional view of the cable and paddle components taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the conveyor pipes taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the hopper assembly and lower end of the conveyor boom;

P16. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

PEG. 6 is a sectional view of the lower pulley taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the positioning apparatus attached to the rear of the concrete hauling vehicle, revealing the conveyor supporting apparatus.

The rear of a concrete mix hauling truck is generally indicated by the numeral 509. A concrete conveyor, generally indicated by the numeral lilil, is mounted on the truck by the positioning apparatus, generally indicated by the figure dill).

The conveyor boom comprises two parallel tubes or pipes 119 and 12d joined together by braces 1%. The lower feed pipe 116 is open at both ends with an opening near the lower end to receive concrete from hopper 15d and an opening at the opposite end to dump the cement into spillway 166. Upper return pipe 120 has the same configuration as the pipe 116 with the exception that the upper half of pipe 126 is removed in order to make the conveyor accessible and the boom lighter. Referring to FIG. 3, the cross-section of the pipes describes three radii. Center section 112 of pipe 110 describes the larger radius R side sections 114 and 116, of radius R communicate with the main section 112 at opposite sides of the feed pipe 119. In return pipe 12% R is described by center section 122, and R is described by the side sections 124 and 122%.

The cable and paddle assembly is generally indicated by the numeral 2%. Referring to FIG. 2, cable 210 is covered by lengths of cable protective hose 212, which are capped by hose and cups 214. Cables 21%) pass through the side sections of the pipes which describe radius R One cable passes through sections 114 and 124; another cable passes through sections 116 and 1226. Cable cross bars 226 are inserted between the cables, intermediate corresponding, abutting pairs of end cups 214. Each cross bar fits in a groove 225 of a steel paddle 22 which is a cylin- 3,184,041 Patented May 18, 1955 drical block having a radius less than R Fixed to the steel paddle 224 on side opposite groove 225 is a rubber paddle 222 of a radius equal to R In the preferred form, rubber paddle 222 is vulcanized to steel paddle 224, and cable cross bar 226 is press fitted into groove 225. Together, the rubber and steel paddles and the cable cross bar make up interchangeable paddle assemblies 220, which may be removed from the conveyor by separating the cables and disengaging them from cross bar slots 227.

Equal lengths of cable protective hose 212 are fixed on cables 210 by shrinking or cementing so that the hose does not slide upon the cable. Hose cups 214 cap the ends of hose lengths 212 and abut cable cross bars 226. Thus, when the two cables are caused to move at equal speeds, paddle assemblies 229 are carried through the pipes, and the rubber paddles 222 scrape the interior surface of the central pipes 113 and 120.

Pulleys and are fixed to the ends of pipes 124 and 110 so that the cable assemblies 200 may pass smoothly from one pipe to the other. A cross-section of lower pulley 131 is shown in FIG. 6. Hubs 132 and 134 are separated by spacer 136 to insure proper engagement of the cables. Pulley 140, constructed in an identical manner as pulley 130, is biased in extension of the conveyor by spring 142 to tension the cables 21% and to absorb shock loads.

Motion is imparted to the cables and paddle assemblies by the drive mechanism, generally indicated by the numeral 3% in FIG. 1. Motor 310 drives diamond chain 32% through reduction gearing 312. Chain 320 passes around pulleys 339 and S ill, which have axes in a plane parallel to the plane described by the axes of pulleys 139 and Mil fixed at opposite ends of the conveyor. Thus, the diamond chain runs parallel to the cable 210. Attached to the diamond chain 320 are forked pushers 322, disposed at intervals equal to the distance between paddle assemblies 221 on cables 210. The forked pushers 322 engage cable cross bars 226 and push the paddle assemblies and cables so that the rubber paddles 222 lead the paddle assemblies 226 through the conveyor.

The conveyor is supported by extended and reinforced truck channel frame members 516 and is positioned in space by the positioning apparatus generally indicated by the numeral 4% in P16. 1. The boom is pivoted vertically at pin 1&2 by boom yoke lli Yoke 4153 is fixedly attached to boom shaft 412, which is in turn fixed to and rotated by worm gear e14. Worm 416, which controls gear 4-14, is turned by a removable crank. An hydraulic piston 429 is pivoted to the boom at pm 422 and to boom shaft 412 by slide 426 at pin 424. Thus, radial positioning of the boom i controlled by worm 416 and vertical positioning of the boom is controlled by hydraulic piston 42%. The entire conveyor may be moved transversely relative to the longitudinal axis of the truck along the frame slide 430 to a corner of the rear of the truck. In the latter position, boom is rotated horizontally 180 so that it extends over the wheels on one side of the truck. Transverse movement from the center, operational position to the tored position is accomplished by turning crank 436 which acts through worm 434, combined worm gear-pinion 432 and rack 431 to move the conveyor along the frame slide 43%.

Operation Fluid concrete mix is dumped into the hopper 156 and passes around the closed portion 128 of the return pipe 129 into the open portion 118 of feed pipe 110. The mix is pushed through pipe 110 by moving the paddle assemblies 224 Upon reaching the spillway 160 the mix strikes deflector 162 and falls through the flexible hose 164. Empty paddle asemblies are carried around pulley 140 and along the return pipe 120. Forked Pushers 322 engage and drive paddle assemblies 220, imparting motion to the cables 210 which carry the paddle assemblies through the feed pipe 110.

Motor 310 is reversible so that cable and paddle assembly 200 maybe backed 'upin the event that the conveyor becomes jammed. :When reversed, forked pushers 322 engage cable cross. bars 226 on the side adjacent the steel paddle 22.4. The cross bars then push the cable and its protective hose in the opposite direction.

Should a rubber paddle become worn, the entirepaddle the cables manually, so that slots 227 are clear of the cables, and then lifting out the paddle assembly. A com plete now assembly may be inserted in thesame manner.

The present invention exists in the conveyor; its mount ing on a concrete'hauling truck has been described as one specific embodiment. It is recognized that the con veyor is useful in transferring several amorphous materials whether it befixedly or pivotably mounted on a stationary support or on another conveyance.

I claim: 4

1. Apparatus for continually conveying comminuted materials comprising:

(A) gathering means,

(B) a tube open at both'ends communicant with said gathering means, said tube having (B1) a generally cylindrical main, center portion and (B2) first and second semi cylindrical opposite side portions communicant with said center sec tion;

(C) first and second continuous cables respectively passing through said first and second side sections;

(D) more than one paddle assemblies having closely fitting elements relative to the interior of said center section, said paddle assemblies comprising (D1) cross bars spanning said cables, said cross bars defining opposite forked ends receiving said (F) driving means operatively engaging said paddle assemblies; and (G) dispensing means fixed to saidtube.

second opposite side portions communicant with -'said center portion;

(B) a universal standard fixed at one end of said boom; (C) extensible positioning means interconnecting a point on said standard spaced from said boom and an intermediate section of said boom, thereby supporting said boom. (D) first and second. continuous cables respectively passing through said first and second side portions of said tubes; V (E) more than one paddle assemblies, each assembly having e (E1) a cross bar spanning said cables, said cross bar defining opposite forked ends receiving said cables, (E2) a cylindrical steel paddle having a transverse groove receiving said cross bar, and (E3) rubber paddles mounted on said steel paddles in extension thereof, said rubber paddles closely fitting relative to the interior of said center portiongq 7 p (F) means fixing said assemblies on said cables; (G) driving means operatively engaging said paddle 1 assemblies; r

(H) a hopper communicant With one end of said first tube; and 1 (I) dispensing means communicant with the remaining end (of said first tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,437,898

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. HUGO o. SCHULZ, ERNEST A. FALLER, Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR CONTINUALLY CONVEYING COMMINUTED MATERIALS COMPRISING: (A) GATHERING MEANS, (B) A TUBE OPEN AT BOTH ENDS COMMUNICANT WITH SAID GATHERING MEANS, SAID TUBE HAVING (B1) A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL MAIN, CENTER PORTION AND (B2) FIRST AND SECOND SEMI CYLINDRICAL OPPOSITE SIDE PORTIONS COMMUNICANT WITH SAID CENTER SECTION; (C) FIRST AND SECOND CONTINUOUS CABLES RESPECTIVELY PASSING THROUGH SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIDE SECTIONS; 